Compare towns
Machias vs Mapleton vs Roque Bluffs
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Machias has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Roque Bluffs has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Machias | Mapleton | Roque Bluffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,020Highest |
1,884 |
369Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 40.8±9.6Lowest 9% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
51.1±13.4Highest 14% above ME |
| Roque Bluffs and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±9.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Roque Bluffs and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±9.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Roque Bluffs and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$89,375±$34k 20% above ME |
| Mapleton and Roque Bluffs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,300±$17kLowest 52% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$290,300±$59kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $692±$276 39% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$950±$515Highest 17% below ME |
| Roque Bluffs and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,885Highest 38% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,859 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Roque Bluffs and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
96.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 min 32% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.7%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Roque Bluffs and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Machias Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | Machias Memorial High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.